Though the WikiLeaks founder and critics like Edward Snowden were forced into exile, they took advantage of the previously-silent NSA's lack of experience at spinning public opinion, Assange told SXSW.

Is Meerkat's dominance of the live-streaming mobile video market over? Also, Facebook talks more about Oculus, and its high-flying Wi-Fi drones. All that and more in your look back at the week in tech.

Reporters' notebook: The annual technology, film and music confab showed us that brands have money to blow, and a tiny app can still make a name for itself when the tech industry converges on Austin, Texas.